


Aw, Sugar

by mclavghlin



Category: Rhett & Link, Rhett and Link, rhink - Fandom
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-15
Updated: 2020-03-15
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:21:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23153953
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mclavghlin/pseuds/mclavghlin
Summary: Rhett reveals something that has been haunting him.
Relationships: Rhett McLaughlin/Link Neal, Rhink - Relationship
Comments: 2
Kudos: 35





	Aw, Sugar

**Author's Note:**

> Hello all! After a very long hiatus I am happy to say I’m officially back in the fandom. :) 201X will be finished soon (for real this time - it’s almost done) but I wanted to exercise my writing muscle and post a one-shot before the rest is released.
> 
> Thank you for so much love over the years - hope you enjoy this simple little ficlet!

It was meant to be a haven where they initiated private brainstorming sessions and fostered creativity.

And while that may have been the case for the first couple of months, slowly but surely the dynamic of the house they’d rented began to change. Gradually, furniture, knick knacks, and a plethora of precious memories began to line the walls - some of their Merle records hung pridefully above the stone mantle,upon which sat some of the decorative props they’d moved in from their office. Perfectly subtle lights were strung from the ceiling, casting a white glow onto the shadowed floor whenever the sun would set - and, as it turned out, it often became the case that they would end up working long enough to watch the dull colors of dusk creep in through the windows. Rhett would leave a trail of mess and paper wherever he went, followed by Link who instinctively tidied and reorganized the rooms to their original and intended states. He wasn’t one to live in clutter - at least compared to Rhett - and often found himself wiping down their belongings with a dust cloth or finishing up the dishes when the other tended to fleshing out the scope of one of their many projects. Of course, Link always found himself meandering back to his office after these breaks, munching away at some pretzels as he read through scripts that Rhett had prepared and making comments in red ink along the margin. He absolutely loved his job - greatly due to the blessing that he was able to fulfill his oath of creating something amazing with his best friend. The gratitude often came in waves - and when it did, it was strong. 

Like most days they spent at the house, the sun dipped below the horizon before Link even realized it was getting late. When he finally checked his phone, his drowsy eyes widened - how could it have possibly been past ten? His shoulders were sore having been hunched over a desk for several hours - and with that his body willed him to clench his weary eyes shut and stretch backwards against his ‘ergonomic’ office chair. It had done an exemplary job of keeping him from sitting on the floor, he’d once joked to Rhett, but that had been mainly it. With little spring in his step, he arose from his addled state and explored the home for any sign of the other man.

He was clearly somewhere, as they’d carpooled together, but Link ended up finding him in the last place he looked - the reclining couch of their living room. Floor squeaking beneath his feet, Link placed a hand around the doorway and allowed a huff of bemused laughter to brush past his lips. The fairy lights were soft against Rhett’s statuesque features. 

“There you are!” Rhett chided faintly, a smile present beneath the glow. “You looked like you were in the zone when I passed your room. You back from the dead?”

Link giggled at his choice of words -  _your_ _room_ . “No, but I’m dead in the back,” he humored, tossing a hand behind himself to emphasize.

Rhett’s brow crinkled. “Aw, sugar,” he pitied, placing a chaste hand on the leather seat near his thigh as he hoisted himself upright. “Sit down, I’ll start some tea. Looks like we’re in for the night anyway.”

Link contemplated the proposition, at first feeling guilty at the prospect of Rhett waiting on him - but a cup of tea admittedly sounded quite lovely. “I’d like that,” he said, mellow.

With this, Rhett arose from the couch, six feet and seven inches clad in a soft eggshell sweater, joggers, and a pair of mismatched socks. It was difficult not to find him enamoring in such a comfortable, house-husband-esque state, his mussy golden hair half-up as the rest of it cascaded to his shoulders. He ambled to Link with a sheepish gait and cupped a hand along his arm. “You got it. Need anything else?”

Link could not deny the comfort Rhett’s touch brought as his hand moved between his shoulder blades. Ultimately, he allowed himself to be pulled closer, his gaze now tentative on Rhett’s chest. “Mm...” he pretended to think, savoring the closeness while it lasted. “I’m okay, Rhett.”

The blond shrugged. “That’s good. I just want to show you I care, you know?”

“Yeah,” Link grinned, knowing Rhett couldn’t see. “Therapy’s made you a feeler, brother. Proud of you.”

A solemn laugh. “I’ve always been a feeler, honey, I was just shit at showing you.” Finally, Rhett went for the gusto and wrapped Link wholly in his arms. “As hard as it can be to say that I love you, well, I don’t think the guilt would ever go away if you thought that I didn’t. Besides, I’ve got about thirty years to make up for here. I want to take care of you and love on you until you’re sick of me. I’m so happy to be your soulmate.”

Link reciprocated the hug with a stroke of Rhett’s back, an unreckoned validation chilling his spine. “Hey, you’re doing a good job. I know perfectly well you love me. You’ve demonstrated that with your actions. Take all the time you need to get comfortable with saying it, okay?”

Rhett nodded ferociously and grabbed a careful fistful of Link’s hair. “I will, Link, I will,” he agreed, voice sounding a bit choked, “but you will never stop me from showing it.”

“Good,” Link finalized, trying to break the tension. “I like the attention anyway. You know how I can be a brat.”

To his delight, Rhett laughed. “So you’re admitting it now? That’s new,” he quipped, pushing Link back by the shoulders.

“Only when I feel like you need to hear it,” he confessed.

Rhett blushed, seeming to understand the underlying intent of Link’s words - that he, too, cared so deeply for the other man that even his jokes and jabs primarily existed for Rhett’s benefit. The blond cocked his head to the side, his cheeks round and pink with adoration. Finally, his gaze flicked down to Link’s body. “I’ll get to making that tea,” his pursed lips uttered, crows feet adorning his silvery, meek gaze. With a caring squeeze of Link’s palm, Rhett separated himself from the man, his lovesick stare peering agelessly at his companion, who reciprocated each and every feeling he’d expressed that night, both inwardly and outwardly. 

“I love you too, Rhett.”


End file.
